


flimsy specters that we co-create

by sapphfics



Category: Barbie - All Media Types, Barbie: Princess Charm School (2011)
Genre: ...all my conspiracy theories about the gardanian murder in one fic lol, ...the relationship is kinda fucked, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Backstory, Dark, F/F, F/M, Femslash, Implied/Referenced Sex, Murder, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23020291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphfics/pseuds/sapphfics
Summary: There is a certain reputation Princess Isabella gained at school, one which those who viewed her as the martyr of Gardanian royalty after her death will never know of.Elizabeth Devin will come to know her intimately.Or: My take on Dame Devin’s backstory that no one asked for.
Relationships: Dame Devin/Original Male Characters, Dame Devin/Queen Isabella (Princess Charm School), Queen Isabella/Reginald (Princess Charm School)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	flimsy specters that we co-create

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ErinacchiLove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinacchiLove/gifts).



> this is technically a companion piece to come talk to me on [my blairancy fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18576073/chapters/44035120) but it’s not necessary to read that one first!
> 
> given that this story is canon compliant, isabella still dies. the dame devin i am portraying for this fic is a lot younger but still terrible, and the backstory i made up here is in no way meant to excuse the abuse she subjected her daughter to. 
> 
> other warnings: references to underage pregnancies and pregnancies in general (none are graphic), an affair resulting in pregnancy, implied/referenced sex, and just dame devin being...dame devin 
> 
> hope you enjoy reading <3

Dame Devin is born Elizabeth Devin, and no one will ever know it, not even her only daughter.

When she takes a royal title with the blood on her hands, she redacts her original name from any records. Only those who attended school with her know it, and they all know better than to run their mouths anywhere outside of their ivory towers unless they want to end up like their beloved Queen or worse. 

And when Elizabeth Devin enters her name once in the lottery, just like every other girl in her kingdom, she doesn’t expect to win. Even she is not naive enough to not know that would-be aristocrats who have money to burn often buy their way into the school only to use their daughters to abuse the positions of power. It’s no surprise. It’s practically banal. 

There is hardly ever silence during the lottery drawing, not when everyone assumes it’ll be another rich girl waiting with bated breath in the front row. People drumroll, they talk, they shout good luck to their children. 

But when she speaks, Princess Isabella’s voice is clear and high. Though it’s barely been a week since the semester began, a few male news reporters waste time to comment on how short the future queen’s skirt has become since her arrival to school. “Elizabeth Devin! Welcome to Princess Charm School!”

Elizabeth isn’t even looking at the television when she is announced. She’s at work still, on track to take the overnight shift, and her co worker has to run in from the staff room and show her holding the television aerial up with a chair. 

Princess Isabella smiles as she says her name, and Elizabeth Devin cries. 

-:-

There is a certain reputation Isabella gained at school, one which those who viewed her as the martyr of Gardanian royalty after her death didn’t know of. 

Elizabeth Devin will come to know her intimately. 

Isabella may have been bad, but her twin brother Henry was worse.

You see, despite the name, Princess Charm School wasn’t always only for Princesses and Lady Royals. There was a time, a decade or more ago, when the schools for Princesses and Princes merged in an attempt to foster good relations between royalty, to make matches for future marriages. 

Of course, the schools were once again split when the board learned just how many princess’s pregnancies resulted from their brief merging. The separation was kept hushed by the Gardanian press in return for secrets from royal staff and money. Anyone can be bought. 

Isabella was kind and lovely and beautiful and so very aware of it, so very angelic with her soft blonde hair and bright pink skirt she had sewn herself. So proud and so pretty.

And she shakes Elizabeth’s hand and looks her dead in the eyes and says, “I hope you feel welcomed here, Eliza.” 

No one’s ever called her Eliza and it makes Elizabeth blush. “Thank you, Princess.” 

“My friends call me Isabella,” She says. “And I’d like to be your friend. And show you around, you know.” 

Elizabeth doesn’t miss the accompanying wink. She feels a shudder up her spine and it isn’t unpleasant. 

-:-

Isabella is easy to fall in love with. She has a magnetism about her, a spark that makes everyone adore her instantly. Henry is the same, but prefers to hang in the background and let girls who are interested in him approach him first. He’s handsome, Elizabeth knows, but she doesn’t hold a candle to Isabella. Their dog, King, follows them everywhere.

Elizabeth is no exception. 

But it’s exceedingly rare for either of them to see Henry these days. 

Isabella is dating a boy in their year, though. He’s rich and dark haired and going into the military, and Elizabeth hates him instantly. 

_My father died on your battlegrounds whilst you sat at home feasting,_ She thinks savagely. _I hope you die too._

It shocks her, at first, because she’s never really hated someone before. It’s just the way he looks at her, like he’s staring right through her and looking at someone else. 

He is often away, unaccounted for, at all hours but especially at night. 

“He’s cheating on you, isn’t he?!” 

It’s hardly a question. Isabella chokes on her tiny sandwich, too small for her hands. 

“Everyone cheats in school,” Isabella waves her hand. “Especially here. But don’t worry, he always comes back to me, Eliza.” 

_But you shouldn’t want him back,_ She thinks. _I would never do that to you._

“I do worry about you,” Elizabeth says. “I care about you.” 

“I know,” Isabella turns to her, both her feet hardly touching the floor. She touches Elizabeth’s chin. “Keep your head up, a Lady Royal of mine knows who she is and refuses to apologise for it.” 

It’s also not uncommon for two girls to practise kissing in the dead of night, in the dorm rooms, when everyone else is asleep. 

-:- 

“Why didn’t you choose me?!”

Isabella turns to her and her eyes are red from crying. “If I chose you, I could never love anyone else. And I need to, I’m my family’s only hope for heirs!”

“You are more than just a vessel to produce some man’s children,” Elizabeth hisses. “I know that. I’ve always known that. Why did you do this? I would’ve stayed with you forever.” 

“Eliza-“

“Just...just go.” 

-:-

Most of the princesses marry right out of school. 

Not immediately, of course, given that there are many coronations to attend and so these events can’t all happen at the same time. 

It’s also not uncommon for Princes who know they will not get the throne to marry Lady Royals, especially ones deemed as pretty as Elizabeth. The proposal happens the morning after graduation, after they slept together drunk on mutual heartache and jealousy. 

And so, Elizabeth marries Henry on a bitter morning in January. They look beautiful, the press say, but sad. And it’s not inaccurate. 

Isabella is the Maid of Honour. Calls her Elizabeth during the speech, not Eliza. She cries, but Elizabeth knows it isn’t out of joy. They haven’t seen each other in years. Won’t speak to each other, even at the wedding. 

Isabella marries Reginald on Valentine’s Day that same year. 

At the reception, Isabella gives her a cursory wave and that’s the last Elizabeth sees of her for the next year. 

-:-

Elizabeth doesn’t plan to have an affair with Queen Isabella’s driver. 

It just...happens. 

She’s just so lonely. Henry is away even more now trying to escape the burden of marriage, and James is handsome and kind. 

And he always calls her ‘My Lady,’ even though Elizabeth can no longer claim the title of Lady Royal. 

Elizabeth learns she is with child a few weeks after they first slept together in the backseat of Queen Isabella’s car. It was thrilling, she’ll admit, more so than Henry ever was. 

Elizabeth doesn’t tell him. Henry cares, or tries to, but his wandering gets the better of him and he’s rarely around during the pregnancy. 

“Jim,” She begins, because she’s the only one who’s ever called him Jim. “If you were going to have a daughter, what would you call her?”

Jim raises his eyebrow at this, but decides to answer her anyway. “Delancy. It was my mother’s name.” 

When Elizabeth tells Henry that she’s decided to name their child Delancy, though the child looks nothing like him even then, he doesn’t stop her. 

“King’s had puppies...the dog had children before us,” He jokes. He’s become weak willed, it seems. 

Henry abandons her soon after Delancy begins to crawl. They give her the title Dame out of pity, but she clings to it anyway. 

Delancy has Elizabeth’s hair and Jim’s dark brown eyes. 

Isabella brings Sophia over for a play date and decides not to comment on Delancy’s lack of resemblance to her father. 

After all, Sophia looks just like her. 

-:-

The night Isabella and Reginald and Sophia all die, Delancy won’t stop crying. 

“Hush now!” Elizabeth demands. “I did this for you, my daughter. One day you’ll be queen.”

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed reading this! <3
> 
> in case anyone is wondering, my faceclaim for james/jim is caddicarus the youtuber
> 
> come talk to me on [tumblr](https://fqirytopia.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/lesbosansastark) if you feel so inclined! let’s be friends <333


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